The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Commission considers proposition
Planning Commission will consider allowing cremation services at local funeral home
Johnson Funeral Home is asking the Painesville Planning Commission to allow cremation services on their funeral home property.
City administration is drafting up amended legislation for the commission to consider and if approved would then go to city council for further approval.
The Painesville Codified Ordinance currently defines funeral homes as a building or part thereof used for preparation of
the deceased for burial and for the customary rituals associated with burial or cremation where all operations are conducted within a completely enclosed building.
Discussion continues about the interpretation of the current ordinance in place, whether a crematory would be an additional use or conditional use. The commission also seeks to solicit public comment, which were the next steps decided at a recent planning commission meeting.
Cremation services would require an expansion of the existing building which would house the cremation unit, according to Charlie Johnson, president and coowner of Johnson Funeral Home.
“The unit would be housed in an approximate 24-by-24-foot building, basically the size of a twocar garage,” Johnson said. “There would be no view of (the machine) from the outside.”
As third generation owner, Johnson explained his daughter and nephew have interest in keeping it in the family for a fourth generation, making it important to provide cremation services at their funeral home as that is becoming a more common way to fulfill the wishes of families for the burial preparations of their loved ones.
“In 2010, the cremation rate in this area was 35 percent,” he said. “Ten years later, the rate is now 60 percent. We are currently serving 125 families each year on average and as we continue to want to serve the community we need to prepare ourselves to better serve the families.”
Johnson explained the unit has two chambers that are computer-monitored that work to address any harmful chemicals, which are then eliminated from the air before there is any emission at all. He also said things like pacemakers or dental work containing mercury are removed prior to cremation and the family is required to disclose any radioactive treatments.
“There is absolute minimal smoke, which is the reason for the second chamber,” he said. “Once the smoke enters that second chamber, it is transformed into just heat. This machine is monitoring itself, so minimal smoke will be emitted. There are three entities monitoring the machine - myself, the computer, and an outside entity - that should give everyone a better sense of security.”
Painesville Planning Commission meetings are held the second Thursday of each month at 7:30 p.m. in Courtroom #1 of City Hall, 7 Richmond St. All meetings are open to the public. Meetings are now held virtually due to the pandemic, and the virtual meeting ID and passcode can be found in the meeting agenda at https://www.painesville.com/planningcommission.